1. Background of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to recreational equipment, and more specifically, provides devices and artificial structures for use in rock climbing.
Rock climbing has increased in popularity tremendously over the last few decades. Where even mountaineers once avoided the steepest rock-faces, modern sport climbers seek far and wide for challenging crags. As climbing techniques and technology have improved, more and more climbers can be found on the available rock walls, and these climbers are ascending more and more difficult rock climbing routes.
With the increase in popularity of rock climbing (and the increasing difficulty of the climbs), artificial rock climbing walls have become quite popular. Such walls allow climbers to practice and hone their skills, and allow beginners to experience rock climbing in a safe environment. In addition, artificial climbing walls allow purchasers of climbing boots, harnesses, and other equipment to test these articles in a store prior to purchase. Hence, artificial climbing walls are becoming commonplace for indoor gymnasiums, resorts, climbing equipment retail stores, and the like.
A typical climbing gym will have a wall constructed of plywood with T-nuts inserted through the plywood panels to the climbing surface. The T-nuts allow structures called climbing holds to be affixed on the climbing surface. These climbing holds are often threadably fastened to the T-nuts so that the holds can be added, removed, or changed to vary the features and difficulty of ascending the artificial wall. The climbing holds are typically made of resin-concrete, and can be shaped as desired. For example, an easy hold would provide a large external ledge, which is easily grabbed or stepped on. A more difficult hold will only extend slightly from the climbing surface, making it more difficult for the climber to support their weight. The paths climbers take up a climbing wall along the holds is generally referred to as a climbing route.
More recent advancements in climbing wall structures have enhanced the look and feel of the climbing surface. Initially, the flat plywood panels were often covered with a mixture of sand and paint to more nearly approximate the texture of natural rock. Textured fiberglass panels having molded features that more nearly approximate those of natural walls are also now available. The molded panels often incorporate T-nuts or other hold attachment structures so that the difficulty of the various routes can be changed after the panels are assembled. Alternative artificial rock climbing structures make use of polystyrene foam blocks that are attached to support structures and then cut to irregular rock-like shapes. The shaped polystyrene foam can then be covered with a hard coating for climbing. Hence, advancements in artificial climbing structures for use in a fixed location such as a climbing gym, climbing equipment store, and the like, have gradually enhanced these practice climbing facilities by providing more realistic walls that closely approximate natural rock formations.
As climbing has further increased in popularity, attempts have been made to provide portable climbing structures that can be set up for temporary use at fairs or other events. Not surprisingly, the mobile climbing structures proposed to date often make use of the climbing wall construction techniques that were developed for fixed installations. Although these mobile climbing structures have been fairly successful, work in connection with the present invention has shown that fixed wall structures have certain limitations that limit their usefulness when they are mounted to a tilt-up trailer or supported by a collapsible scaffolding. In particular, tilt-up trailers having known climbing wall structures generally do not accommodate as many climbers as would be desirable, due in-part to the limitations on the size of a trailer vehicle. While it is possible to construct more complex articulated climbing wall structures that can unfold at an event site, the cost and complexity of the unfolding mechanism more than outweighs the increase in the number of climbers the articulated structures can handle. Additionally, these known portable rock climbing structures generally make use of a simple pulley arrangement to support the climbers, so that the safety of the climber depends on the skill of a xe2x80x9cbelayer,xe2x80x9d an assistant required for each climber to tend the rope as the climber ascends. Although this arrangement works well for pairs of skilled climbers, it may be inconvenient, expensive, or even dangerous to rely on a belayer for the safety of each climber at a public event such as a fair or the like.
In light of the above, it would be desirable to provide improved artificial rock climbing structures and devices. It would be particularly desirable to provide climbing structures that were better suited for use in a mobile climbing system, particularly if these improved structures also had potentially advantageous applications for fixed climbing installations. It would further be desirable to provide improved climber safety devices for use with artificial climbing structures, both mobile and fixed. It would be best if these improvements enhanced the number of climbers that can be accommodated, but without significantly increasing the cost or complexity of the climbing experience.
2. Description of the Background Art
The following patents may be relevant to the present invention, and the full disclosures of each is incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,941,548; 4,997,064; 5,092,587; 5,125,877; 5,254,058; 5,256,116; 5,543,185; and 5,593,368.
The present invention provides improved climbing devices and structures for use in both mobile and fixed climbing systems. The invention provides a variety of modular climbing towers. The towers are generally assembled from panels having lateral curves, most often by fastening upper and lower flanges of the panels together. The panels and flanges are generally integrally molded from fiberglass or the like, and can act as a monocoque structure which is substantially self-supporting. More specifically, the monocoque panel structure often fully supports at least the interior portion of the climbing surface, having a separate frame only for the peripheral edges of the assembled climbing surface, or optionally having no separate frame at all. The climbing surface will generally be disposed on the radially outward portion of a partially or fully enclosed climbing tower formed by the assembled panels. This increases the number of climbers that can safely be accommodated on a climbing surface of a given width. This is particularly advantageous for climbing structures that are limited in width for legal trailering, entry through standard double-doors, and the like.
The present invention also provides belaying devices for safely supporting a climber at the end of a flexible member such as a cable, rope, or the like. These belaying devices generally draw in the flexible member as the climber climbs. When the climber falls or completes the climbing route, the belay device supports the climber""s weight, slowly and safely lowering the climber down to the ground. The exemplary auto-belay device makes use of a hydraulic piston mechanism to separate a pair of pulley assemblies. The flexible members runs back and forth between the pulley assemblies with a plurality of windings, so that the stroke of the hydraulic piston can be significantly less than the height of the climbing structure. Such a belay device can safely operate without intervention by another person, significantly increasing the safety without relying on skilled assistants for each climber.
In a first aspect, the invention provides a modular artificial climbing structure. The climbing structure comprises a plurality of panels. Each panel has upper and lower edges, the panel defining a lateral curve with a radially outwardly oriented climbing surface extending between the upper and lower edges. At least one of the lower edges is affixed to the upper edge of an adjacent panel so that the climbing surfaces of the panels define a contiguous climbing area. A plurality of climbing holds are distributed across the combined climbing area. The climbing holds define a plurality of climbing routes, at least a portion of the routes being separated along the lateral curves of the panels.
In many embodiments, the lateral curve of each panel will extend over an arc of at least about 180xc2x0. Panels defining smaller arc angles may also be used, often by laterally affixing curving panels together so as to define a combined climbing area having an arc with more than about 120xc2x0, the combined arc often being at least about 180xc2x0. Such curving climbing areas are particularly advantageous for use in mobile climbing structures, as they allow three or more climbers to be accommodated simultaneously on a structure with the width that is legal for towing. Alternatively, lateral edges of the curving panels can be affixed flush against a wall to define a simple, low cost module climbing structure that does not require a complex or costly installation.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a modular artificial climbing structure comprising a plurality of panels. Each panel has a climbing surface that curves laterally so as to define an arc about an axis. The climbing surface is oriented radially outwardly and extends between left and right edges of the panel. The right edges of at least some of the panels are affixed coaxially to the left edges of adjacent panels so that the climbing surfaces of the panels define a contiguous curved climbing area.
In another aspect, the invention provides a modular artificial climbing structure comprising a plurality of panels. Each panel has a climbing surface bordered by edges. At least some of the panels curve laterally so that the climbing surface is oriented radially outwardly. The edges of the panels are affixed together laterally so that the panels form a circumferentially enclosed tower.
In another aspect, the invention provides a climbing structure for use in a corner between a first wall and a second wall. The first and second walls are at right angles. The climbing structure comprises a plurality of panels. Each panel has a climbing surface curving laterally so that the panel defines an arc of 90xc2x0. The climbing surface is oriented radially outwardly and extends between right and left edges. The right edge of at least some of the panels is flush against the first wall. The left edge of at least some of the panels is flush against the second wall. The panels are affixed together so that the arcs of the panels radially enclose the corner.
In another aspect, the invention provides a belay device for use by at least one climber when climbing an artificial climbing structure. The belay device comprises a flexible member having a first end for attachment to a climber. A first pulley assembly is affixed to the artificial climbing structure. A second pulley assembly is also provided, with the flexible member having a plurality of windings extending between the first pulley assembly and the second pulley assembly. The mechanism couples the second pulley assembly to the artificial climbing structure. The mechanism urges the second pulley assembly away from the first pulley assembly with a first force so as to avoid slack in the flexible member when the climber moves upward. The mechanism resists movement of the second pulley assembly toward the first pulley assembly with a second force that is larger than the first force so as to prevent injury to the climber when the climber is supported by the flexible member.